Stories behind the songs - Palm Sunday March 16, 2008

"Hosanna"

This Palm Sunday anthem was written by Paul Baloche. "Hosanna" (Greek transcription: ὡσαννα, hōsanna) is the cry of praise or adoration shouted in recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem, Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! It is used in the same way in Christian praise.
The old interpretation "Save, now!" which may be a popular etymology, is based on Psalm 118:25 (Hebrew הושענא hOshEeah-nna). As a worship leader, Paul's unpretentious and approachable style has encouraged many to draw near to God in worship. "I want my music, and more importantly my life," Paul explains, "to inspire people to pursue a sincere, authentic relationship with Christ."
For fourteen years Baloche has served as the Worship Pastor at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas, where he lives with his wife Rita and their three children.
One of the most prominent praise and worship songwriters of our generation describes his writing as "journaling the process of my walk with the Lord".

Click here to read more about Pauls' ministry:
www.leadworship.com/

Click here to visit Pauls' myspace:
www.myspace.com/paulbaloche

Click here to worship along with Paul:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BZoDH2H1Ls


"My God Lives"
This song is from the Fellowship Church recording "My God Lives"
This song is on "Songs from the Key of Life" the worship recording from First Hurst or you can click if you are interested in purchasing a recording of the song
http://mp3blog.org.ua/archives/july2006/mp3/rock/b60d2d0c.html

Behold the Lamb of God (Communion Hymn)
This song by Keith Getty is a beautiful Hymn dealing with the last supper.

Click here to read the lyrics:
http://gettymusic.com/USA/lyrics.asp?id=157


CONTEMPORARY MODERN HYMNS?
Who is creating the next generation of hymns for the Church? And greater still, has the unique formula of the hymn been abandoned on the back pew of the praise & worship movement? Irish composers and artists Keith & Kristyn Getty don't believe so, and they're on a mission to revive the art of hymnody for a new generation.
"There are two reasons we write modern hymns," explains Keith. "First, it's to help teach the faith. What we sing affects how we think, how we feel and ultimately how we live, so it's so important that we sing the whole scope of truth the Bible has given us. The second reason is to try and create a more timeless musical style that every generation can sing, a style that relates to the past and the future."
"In the Church, the purpose of singing is to express the community we have as the Body of Christ." Kristyn adds. "To try and search for the melodic ideas and song structure that might bring more people in, that's what we're trying to investigate. Is there a way to bring everyone together musically?"
The Gettys needn't look further than their homeland for the answer. Throughout Europe, the their modern hymns have already taken hold, crossing musical genres and bridging generations beyond the Church's traditional sphere of influence. The hymn most identified with the couple, "In Christ Alone," penned by Keith and acclaimed British songwriter Stuart Townend ("How Deep The Father's Love"), has been recorded more than 100 times—including arrangements by such top artists as Natalie Grant and the Newsboys—and is now one of the most popular Christian songs of all time in the United Kingdom.
The simple folk melody and storytelling lyrical style of "In Christ Alone" has given rise to its universal appeal, Keith & Kristyn believe. "My main conviction with melody is the same as that of Stravinsky, Bernstein, Gershwin, Burt Bacharach and The Beatles, which is looking at folk music melody in its simplest form," Keith says. "The simplicity of the melody helps make it more accessible, and I believe melody is so fundamental to human culture and psyche."

THE TRIAL

A Palm Sunday drama:

Synopsis: All-around "Joe Average" guy, Jess Goodnuff, is shocked when he is arrested for continually falling short of God's desire for his life. Cut to a courtroom where Jess tries to defend himself by calling forward a parade of witnesses: a co-worker, his wife, his pastor and his mother. Through their sometimes humorous testimonies, Jess's major character flaws emerge, suggesting that perhaps he isn't "good enough" after all. Enter the Public Defender to help. He advises Jess to change his plea to "guilty." Just when Jess is convinced all is lost and sure punishment awaits, the Public Defender arrives. Join us for this interactive musical drama presented on Palm Sunday, March 16th, at 9:45 & 11:00am.
Visit our E-Invite page to send an electronic invitation to a friend, family, or coworker.

"Worthy the Lamb"

This is a powerful song that reminds us of the fact that Jesus, the lamb that is worthy, took our place on the cross.

This song is by Bill & Gloria Gaither Gaither was born in Alexandria, Indiana in 1936, the son of George and Lela Gaither. He formed his first group, the Bill Gaither Trio (consisting of his sister Mary Ann, and brother Danny) in 1956 while a college student at Anderson College. After graduating from Anderson in 1959, he worked as an English teacher. He married the former Gloria Sickal in 1962. After a few years of trying to manage both a music career and his full time teaching job, he quit his teaching job in 1967 and worked full time in the Christian music industry. Gaither was influenced by southern gospel groups and singers such as Jake Hess, Hovie Lister, and groups like the Speers, the Statesmen and the Happy Goodmans.

Gaither and his wife have written songs that have become standards across the English-speaking world, including "The Longer I Serve Him," "Because He Lives," "The King Is Coming," "Something Beautiful," "He Touched Me", "It Is Finished," "There's Something About That Name" and "Let's Just Praise The Lord." His songs have been performed by Christian artists (Carman, Sandi Patty), country singers (The Statler Brothers) and pop artists (Elvis Presley). Gloria Gaither often writes the lyrics while Bill writes the music, although composing is usually a collaborative project between the two.

Since Gaither first began singing with the Bill Gaither Trio in the 1950s, he has constantly been performing. The Bill Gaither Trio originally consisted of Bill, his brother Danny Gaither and his sister Mary Ann Gaither. In about 1964 Bill's wife, Gloria, took the place of Mary Ann. The trio sang traditional gospel songs along with original compositions by the Gaithers that gave them a more contemporary feel. Gaither has a high bass voice (or low baritone), and would often sing while playing a guitar with the Bill Gaither Trio. He also plays the piano.

Click here to worship along with the Gaither Homecoming choir:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DJS5XZcpS0

Click here for another arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=64doVvo6JOw&feature=related